First to Die
by Cat 2
Summary: What if Rapses wasn't Scarab first victim? this is my first attempt at a Mummies Alive Fan Fic so please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The Mummy by Barbara Steiner._

First to die

The light reflected off the boomera as it rose higher and higher, spinning like a top before it fell back to earth, less than 50 yards from where it had started with a splat.

"A good try my prince." This came from the tall bronzed man, dressed in the regalia of a royal huntsman who stood watching close by.

"Not bad" the young man kneeling beside the 5 year old said. The child merely stood staring at his handiwork.

"He'll be a fine huntsman one day huh Ja-kal?"

Ja-kal made no direct response; he merely jumped down from the hunting platform into the river mud and walked out to retrieve the broomera as the rumble of chariot wheels echoed around.

The horses skidded to a halt, spraying them all with mud. The charioteer leapt down, falling into a kneeling position.

"Oh great and mighty pharaoh, ruler of the Nile, beloved of Ra-"

"Get to the point Nefer!" the young man interrupted.

"The princess Urbena's barge has been sighted. She will be here within the hour."

The young man uttered a curse, which made the child laugh. He ran over to the chariot closely followed by Ja-Kal and the child. As Nefer jumped up to join them she glanced at Ja-kal.

"Baset's going to kill you."

Pesehet paced like caged tiger.

"This…This Urbena" she forced the word out, making it sound like a swearword. "She thinks that she can walk in her and…. And…!" words failed her, and she continued by knocking a vase to the floor where it shattered. Baset, her sister and guardian of her son Rapses, sitting near by, attempted to calm her.

"She's not Amenhotep's wife." She said slowly and with exaggerated patience. "She's here to be Nefra's wife. Ardeth" she indicated their brother with her right hand. "Has explained that to us already."

Ardeth who stood partly hidden in the shadows nodded.

"She is no rival to you Pesehet" he said gently. "You are pharaoh's wife, Mother of the heir to the throne, wearer of vulture crown, Queen of Egypt. She, at best, is a second rate princess within your household." Pesehet's face softened slightly and she stood with her back to them gazing into the courtyard.

"But supposing…supposing…"

"She won't!" Baset said firmly. "We all know-"

A clatter of horses interrupted her.

"They're back." She said getting to her feet. "You'd best get ready."

Pesehet gazed at her helplessly.

"Don't threat so" Baset said as she turned towards the door. "You and Rapses having nothing to fear from Urbena."

Pesehet nodded. Ardeth glanced at his youngest sister as he followed his younger sister out.

"You were very definite about that." He observed,

Baset shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "I have work to do."

Ardeth gazed at her hopelessly before responding "if you need me…"

"I know where to find you." Baset promised.

"By the Lord Jehovah I'd have more luck caring of a pack of hippos." Baset declared.

Ja-kal began to protest that this really wasn't fair, but Baset interrupted him.

"I don't want to hear it!" She said. "Go and get changed. Tia has laid out some fresh clothes in your room and there's hot water there too. I've got some ready for you too Nefer," she added. Nefer nodded and grabbed a linen towel from the pile. Ja-kal stood gazing at her.

"Go!" Baset said, more gently this time. "Armon and Rath are here and ready. They will protect us. And once I've bathed this mini monster," she lifted Rapses up off the floor and held him against her. "I go and get ready myself. By that time you and Nefer will be finished so you can take over."

Ja-kal knew when he was beaten so he walked off while Baset yanked Rapses over to the steaming wooden tub.

Nefer lent over and pulled the bar across.

That from her point of view was the best thing about this room. She could lock it.

It was kind of Baset to do this. Beside the streaming bathtub where the water came up to her chest, there was clean tunic laid out, along with her best jewellery.

She yanked off the leather guards on her wrist, and laid them aside, along with the huge circular neck collar that she wore. She then yanked her tunic off and clambered, like the cat on her amulet, into the bath. It was only when she had sat in the water for a few minutes that she dared remove the helmet that hid her hair.

She signed and lay back, enjoying the heat of the water and the scent of the rose petals added. Here was the only place that Nefertina could exist. For the rest of the world she was Nefer, the best charioteer in Egypt and guardian of the prince Rapses. That was the way it had to be, if she wanted live.

She dipped under the water to wet her hair, and her thoughts passed to her predecessor. Sobek, the best charioteer in Egypt. He had as far as any one could tell, lost control of the horses and been dragged to death. While it was a risk she ran everyday, she found it curious that a man who's reputation had been built on regaining control of a bolting horses in the heat of battle should have lost control. At least Nefra hadn't been in the chariot with him.

Nefra, son of Ahmose, Amenhotep's father and (if rumours were true) a kitchen slave. Too irregular to inherit the throne, but with too few alternatives to be cast aside. After Rapses, Nefra was next in line to the throne. After him, Lord Scarab Vizier of Egypt and a cousin of Amenhotep. She shivered she did not like Scarab.

A trumpet call yanked her back to her senses. Urbena barge must be getting closer. The princess of Nubia was promised to Nefra. If the marriage was a success, it could mean peace for generations. If it was not…

Another trumpet, nearer than the last one force her to hurry. The wind must be with them. She got out of the water and began to get dressed.

"Here you are Armon." Baset said, handing Rapses over. "Now," she continued. "If I come back and either of you have moved a muscle I will personally disembowel you."

With the sounds of laughter echoing behind her, she walked to her room and locked the door. As she passed her dresser she caught her reflection in the mirror. The right side of her chin was red and tender.

"That's another one from you Hordeth" she muttered.

Her husband had come when she was fetching water for the baths. When she had refused to come with him he'd hit her. Thank the lord Jehovah that Armon had come to help her. He'd "persuaded" her husband to leave. And he hadn't called Ja'kal.

She slipped her tunic over her head and slid slowly into the water. She'd fallen on her feet here, something she never thought could have happened in Egypt. And it could have all gone so wrong.

The story of Pesehet's and Amenhotep's courtship was the stuff of songs. How one day, while riding in the desert, the prince Amenhotep, as he was then, had become separate from his companions. How he had ridden over a sand mountain to an oasis and seen a strange, beautiful girl bathing.

Baset smiled in spite of herself. She should have been the water with her. But she'd got bored and ridden off. She had returned to find her sister, totally naked! And talking to a strange Egyptian.

What happened next should make her cringe, but it didn't. If she had to she'd do it again. After all it was the reason she was here. As Amenhotep had observed any woman prepared to put an arrow in her pharaoh to protect her sister, what would she do to protect her nephew?

On the other hand it was also what had led to Hordeth.

According to the law of her people no woman could marry till her siblings were either married or vowed. Ardeth had taken his vows, but Baset was till three months away from been of age. When the Grand Vizier of Egypt, the Lord Scarab, had offered the captain of pharaoh's guards, Hordeth, as her husband, the council of elders seeing only the advantages of a daughter of one of their own married to pharaoh's son had agreed. She had not exactly gone willingly into the marriage. She had meant to take her vows as soon as she was old enough, but she had vowed to do her best to be a good wife to him. She might have saved her breath. Hordeth was a monster who hit her regularly and worse. Her hands stroked the scars that crisscrossed her stomach. That had been when he killed the child in her womb. She had vowed then to leave him, and return to the desert, but then her brother, Ardeth had sought her out.

Ahmose and his son, Ineni, had died in what Ardeth called "questionable circumstances". The elders, worried about their investment, in the form of the child that Pesehet was carrying, wanted one of their own close to the Egyptian court. Pesehet had always been able to get any man to do anything she wanted and Amenhotep was no exception. He had readily agreed to her coming both as a hand maiden to the queen and later guardian to his son.

She shook her head to shake off the past and set out of the water on to a linen towel laid there. She dried herself and pulled on her best Egyptian dress, pure white, of the finest linen with thousands of tiny pleats. If she was honest she hated it. It was impossible to keep clean, so delicate that she lived in continuous fear that she would step on it and tear it and, it was too impractical, she could not keep up with Rapses in it and ridding was impossibility. But it had been a present from Rath, so she always wore it for special occasions so as not to offend him.

She glanced in the hand mirror again and winced. At least Egyptian women wore so much makeup that no one would notice her covering it up. It wasn't that she was ashamed of what he did to her. It wasn't her fault! But she didn't feel that she could cope with another argument with her fellow guardians right now.

They wouldn't be angry with her, no their anger would be directed at her husband and they would mystified with her refusal to leave him. Even Rath. They were all wonderful.

Ja'kal, the hunter and leader, was wise and kind, even if she was the only one who even vaguely understood his animal analogies. Rath, if you could get past his personality, was loyal and knowledgeable, even if he could never admit that he didn't know something. Armon was a gentle giant with an appetite to match his size, but threaten any one close to him and he was deadly. Nefer was always joking and teasing everyone. Yet his love of speed she was convinced would be the death of him. She laughed. Now even with in her head she thought of Nefer as a boy.

She gazed at her face in the mirror. Not bad.

She signed. She cared immensely for all of them but they could never truly care for her. After all, she thought as she dipped her fingers in a pot of paint and smeared it over her forearm covering the tattoo there, a triangle with the Eye Of Horus on top of it, how could you care for some one who was lying to you?

Urbena POV

I step off the litter and onto the back of the slave. I then descend on to the carpet. The people are cheering and as I climb the steps I turn and wave to them. They cheer even more. I enter the throne room.

The royal family sit at one end on a raided dais, my family now or very soon. I walked past the staring eyes of the courtiers with my head held high as benefits a Nubian Princess.

Pharaoh rises to greet me. He embraces me, calling me sister.

The queen remains seated. She makes an appropriate greeting, but her eyes watch me like a hawk. She does not like me.

Their son, Rapses sits still, struggling not to fidget. He is 7 or 8, and he watches me with a child untactful curiosity.

The guardians watch me, from behind their prince, but they watch everyone. The tall man, who I think is their leader, watches me with the same distrust he shows everyone else, except a young woman who stands at the edge of the crowd. His wife? I hope so and that I am so lucky.

The young man next to him gazes at me with a disdainful arrogance. His fingers are stained with ink, so I know he is a scribe. The third is as big as a house, with only one arm. The other is made of gold. He watches me with a degree of amusement. As does the fourth and youngest.

Finally my eyes rest upon Nefra. This is not our first meeting but is surely our most important. The passion in his eyes frightens me, though it is mirrored by my own. I duck my head blushing, but he takes his hand and leads me to the dais.

Ours is a love that the scribes will write off and the story tellers sing of, after he and I have been in our graves for a thousand years.

To Be Continued.

Cat 2

o.k. I've taken a liberty in this, as we have no idea that Amenhotep had any brothers, legitimate or otherwise. We also know virtually nothing about Amenhotep's wife, so I've made a bit up. It is historically likely that there would have been at least one true female guardian as a wet-nurse. Please review as this is my first Mummy's Alive Fan Fiction.


	2. Chapter 2 The Falcon's Death

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The Mummy by Barbara Steiner._

Chapter 2 The falcon's death.

Urbena POV

"Sebti! Sebti! Where are you?" I wander though the gardens calling. They are beautiful, in full bloom despite the heat. Lotus flowers bewitch me with their scent, water lilies gaze up at me from the ponds, palms bend to provide shade and hedges shine a vivid green despite the heat that threatens to overwhelm us all. Normally I would love to stop and rest here, but I must find Sebti.

A sputter of childish laughter catches my attention and I wander over. A column hides me from the view of the guardians and the child. Sebti lies in the middle, batting at a strip of line held by the prince.

"Whose is he though?" the woman guardian asked.

"One of the guards?" suggest the young man, with the uniform of a charioteer.

"No, I know them all."

I step out.

"Actually he's mine"

The guardians' hands fall to their daggers, ready to attack, until they recognise me.

"Her name is Sebti." I continue.

"But that's a boys name." the prince said.

I nod. "She was a present form Nefra. He thought she was a he. I only found my mistake recently."

"How?"

"She's going to have kittens." I reply.

"A good omen." Says a young man with ink on his fingers.

I ignore him and so doe everyone else.

"You can have kitten if you want." I continue.

The prince's face brightens and turns to his guardian. They gaze at me. The woman nods her head, but her eyes are on me. They are veiled, but there is some affection in them.

I think, I hope, she could learn to like me

Baset was relived that her duties as a guardian meant that she was merely required to stand at attention behind the prince, rather than join in the banquet. Twenty plus courses of food and the people packed like papyrus rushes in the fields. And that was before you reached the dais. Pesehet sat like the statue of Iris in the temple, poker backed and icy faced. Amenhotep looked like Seknumt, the lioness headed goddess of war. The lord scarab had picked up on this; his face was covered by his secret smile that made him more resemble a cobra than a scarab beetle.

Nefra, obvious to all this, was playing the devoted swain, serving Urbena from his own plate and sending her secret glances over the table. It might have been true, Baset didn't know either of them well enough to tell.

Rapses had been fighting against his heavy eyes for nearly an hour, before Pesehet noticed and nodded to Baset to remove him.

They climbed the stairs in silence, listening to the sound of the lute and flutes, announcing that the dancing was to begin.

"Not tired." Rapses muttered as they entered his apartments, "not tired."

Baset smiled, as she helped him undress and get into bed. Within 5 heart beats he was asleep.

She wandered out into the antechamber. Nefer had returned, from the kitchen, carrying the bread, barely beer and duck stew that she had managed to grab.

"You'd best go Ja'kal," Baset said, sinking down to floor beside Armon. "Tia said that she had plans for this evening, and I presume they include you."

Ja'kal paused, his eyes darting towards the door into the bedroom.

"I should stay" he began, but Baset interrupted him.

"Ja'kal, Tia has seen you for about two minutes today and she'll see you for a similar amount of time tomorrow if she's lucky. For Ra's sake it's a royal wedding. We'll be up three hours before dawn, and it will midnight before we get to bed, IF we're lucky! Go to her. Sleep. That is," she added with a sly smile. "If sleeping forms part of her plans"

Ja'kal sent Baset a withering glance.

Urbena POV

I am unable to sleep, so I walk in the garden. The lotus blossoms, sweet in the day, smell divine in the night. There is a gentle breeze that wafts the palm leaves causes shadows to dance as delightfully as the girls at the feast. Nefra monkey is startled by my footsteps. He squeals making me jump. He skitters away, chasing another monkey.

Moonlight shines though the columns creating a pattern of light and darkness, like the sky above.

This will all be over tomorrow. I will feel no loneliness; my arms will not be empty and cold. Nefra will hold me and I him. I will fall asleep in his arms beneath the silken webs and on linen sheets.

A falcon shriek pieces the stillness of the air and my heart.

Nefra! What is wrong my prince?

I feel his pain. I know he reaches, searching form me, but I am not there and can not reach him.

Nefra. Nefra! My Love.


	3. Chapter 3 death in the palace

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The Mummy by Barbara Steiner._

Chapter 3 Death in the palace.

The falcon's cry woke her. She got out of bed and stumbled into the antechamber. Rath and Armon were already there, both sleepy eyed and tousled haired. Ja'kal stood in the doorway, bare headed and wild-eyed.

"What's-"

"The falcon has died." They all turned. Baset stood in the doorway to the prince's room with Rapses in arms. A sheet was wrapped around her, covering her head. Her face deprived of all make up was pale in the moonlight. She looked more like a foreigner than ever.

"For my people that means the death of a Pharaoh."

The guardians face registered their confusion and their horror as they turned to Ja'kal. He responded by grabbing his headdress off a stool where he had left it.

"Armon, Nefer remain here and guard the prince. Rath and I will make sure that all is well."

They nodded.

The moonlight cast shadows like those of alleyways as they walked. The silence after the screech was opposing, yet neither dared break it.

They had already checked on the private apartments of Pharaoh and his queen. Both were sleeping and safe. Here among the private apartments there were guards at every door, but the corridor they walked down now seemed deserted.

"Suppositious twaddle." Rath spoke, making Ja'kal jump. "A cry of the falcon meaning the death of a Pharaoh, I mean really!"

Ja'kal made no response. While he would have normally agreed with Rath, though he would not have been quite so harsh, but his sixth sense, homed by years as a hunter was telling him that something was not right. But he did not know what.

"And we fell for it. Rational Egyptians and we fell for it. By Ra it's Unthinkable!"

Ja'kal gave a small nod, even though eh wasn't really listening to Rath.

Footsteps came from the darkness. A man collided with them, knocking the touch out of Ja'kal's hand. As he did so the light caught off his face.

"Arahk!" Ja'kal gasped.

Arahk face registered surprise, then horror and anger at the site of his brother. He turned and fled into the darkness.

"Arahk, my brother," Ja'kal muttered, to Rath, in a trance.

Rath gazed into the darkness where Arahk had fled.

"Friendly isn't he?"

The antechamber was silent. Baset had sunk on to a stool, Rapses head resting against her breast. Nefer leant against the wall, her eyes closed. Armon stood filling the doorway into the corridor.

"The prince is a sound sleeper." Nefer murmured, rubbing her own eyes.

Baset head jerked up like a puppets.

"You're right," she muttered, forcing Rapses's eyes open. The pupils were huge.

Baset swore, causing both guardians' head to jerk in her direction, as she almost never used those words.

"What?" asked Nefer.

"The prince has been drugged." Baset cried thrusting Rapses into Armon's arms as she ran from the room.

Rath foot slid forward and he would have fallen had Ja'kal not caught him. It was accompanied by a scent that they both knew, one from the desert and other from the altar. Ja'kal lifted his torch up.

The light from it fell across a terrible scene. Two bodies lay slumped against the wall, their uniforms proclaiming them as Royal Guards. 3 goblets, drained to their dregs, lay near by. Both men were covered gore.

Ja'kal and Rath looked at each other. Then as one, Rath drew his sword with its handle like a snake and Ja'kal withdrew his dagger, at the same time, he recovered his horn from its place on his belt. Slowly they stepped though the open doors.

Nefra lay slumped half in and half out of the bed, his face twisted in its final agony. The fine linen sheets encased the legs like a mummy in its wrappings. The sweet smelling wax of the candle that had early topped the wig at the feast mingled with the smell of blood, causing the room to smell like an embalmers workshop. In the centre of Nefra's chest the golden handle of a dagger glinted. Ja'kal extended a hand to touch it, but Rath grabbed him shaking his head. Ja'kal nodded. He raised his horn and drew breath.

"No. NO!" A voice made them both swing around. Urbena stood there, her face as pale as the moon.

" The Curse! The curse!" she screamed. And then she fainted.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4 the Aftermath

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The Mummy by Barbara Steiner. Ameroke is based on Paul Doherty Creation of the same name._

Chapter 4 The Aftermath.

"May the gates of the far west be opened for you. May your journey though the Am-duat be safe. May your divine ancestors welcome you into the fields of eternity. May the Eternal Green Fields accept your ka…"

The priests voice rose and fell like the Nile. The Incense smoke swirled. The Anubis masked priest moved like a ghost though the mist.

Ameroke stood amid this staring at the body. A young man cut down on the night of wedding like his own son, Kharf.

"My lord Judge?" the chief embalmer, his name escaped Ameroke for the moment, stood at his elbow.

"There is no doubt my lord. Death was caused by a punctured lung. He would have died with in minutes."

Ameroke nodded, still staring at the corpse.

Before he became a royal judge he had been a hunter and a soldier. He had seen death in all its forms, but somehow each time the corpses brought home that death like birth was an experience unique to the individual.

"That may of some comfort to the divine ones." He muttered softly. He could not tell them that death had been painless. They had seen the corpse. Nefra would show he lied.

Urbena POV

_I walk beside him. Crowds line both sides of the way, waving branches of olives and palms waving them slowly, and cheering, always cheering._

_The tram of my wedding dress is carried by two attendants. My crown is heavy, but I hold my head high. My neck begins to ache, but if this is the price of happiness, I can bear it willingly. With joy._

_He turns and smiles at me. His dark eyes dance and tease and remind me of his gentleness. Real strength comes from being kind and just and most of all gentle, aware of others. He is already popular. He will be a fine prince. His family has not come to this by stealth or revenge or evil events. _

_I wave at the crowds. I will work hard to win their respect and love, just as I won Nefra's admiration. From the first time he saw me, he  
says._

_I stop to receive a bouquet of flowers from a child in a long white dress. The child smiles, bowing her ebony hair, tilting the circlet of wildflowers so it slides over her forehead. With her small hand she catches it and grins, more childlike now._

_I turn to find that Nefra has continued walking without me. Where is he? Crowds have closed in behind him so I cannot see._

_"Nefra," I call in a soft voice. "Nefra."_

_The crowds realize what they have done. They step aside, leaving a path. But still I do not see him._

_"Nefra," I call louder. "Nefra!"_

_He is gone, disappeared from my sight. I reach out, run, glance both ways with a growing fear._

_"Nefra!" I scream his name now. My words echo back across the heads of the people._

_The crowd does not help me find Nefra, but people close about me, tighter, tighter, smothering me. Keeping me from him._

_"He is gone," someone whispers. "Nefra is gone."_

_Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone._

Urbena woke, the sense of loneness and longing still engulfing him. Then she remembered the truth.

Baset paced the chambers like a lioness. She needed to get out of here. She needed to speak to Ardeth. She needed to get away from the palace!

The sounds of screaming, wailing and dirges echoed around the palace intermarried with the sound of tearing linen and cotton.

Thankfully they were not required to do that here. Pesehet had protested that Rapses was too young to understand. So the four of them had remained within their chambers.

Armon was trying to distract Rapses with a game of Senut. With Rath and Ja'kal this might have worked, but Armon was not a good player. He had already lost 3 games and was on his way to losing a 4th.

"Saddle up Nefer." She said, grabbing her arm guards. She couldn't ignore the look that passed between Nefer and Armon.

"If there's any trouble I'll take the blame."

The palace was different. The chanting that usually greeted a visitor was replaced with wailing. The drapes and curtains that filled the palace were torn and ragged.

Amid this distress sat Amenhotep and his queen. Amerok was reminded the black lion headed goddess statues that stood in the desert. They sat as still and tall as them.

Next to them stood the Lord Scarab, the grand vizier of Egypt.

For a moment Amerok could have sworn he saw a smile of satisfaction pass across his face.

Well he had some reason to be happy he supposed. Now all that stood between him and the throne was Amenhoptep and a five year old child.

Amerok made a note to watch the Lord Scarab carefully.

The horse's flanks glistened with sweat as its feet churned up the sand. Baset flung back her head, feeling the wind on her face.

This was what she missed most in the palace. The space, the emptiness of the desert and sense of freedom that came with it.

She could hear Nefer bellowing at her, struggling to be heard over the jangle of the chariot, yelling for her to slow down. But she couldn't. She wouldn't.

"You'll kill the beast riding like that."

Ardeth step forward, seeming to appear from no where in his dark brown tunic and trousers with a belt of ochre yellow with a red strips running diagonally across it.

"We haven't much time." Baset replied glancing up to the sand dunes that created the valley of the desert. "They're only a hundred heartbeats behind me. You've heard what happened last night?"

Ardeth nodded.

"We must be grateful that more were not killed," he said in a calm, expressionless voice.

"Rumor says that the lord Amertok, chief justice in the Hall of Two Truths is to investigate."

"A dangerous man," Ardeth said evenly. "Speak like a Med-Jai. Truthful, but cautious."

Baset fidgeted in the saddle, glancing over her shoulder.

"Is there something else?" Ardeth asked, emotion entering his voice for the first time in the conversation.

"Before Urbena collapse she…she mentioned the curse. She didn't say much." She added quickly, "but I don't know what I should say."  
Ardeth face darkened. While it had been impossible to prevent rumors of the curse leaving the Med-Jai, they had so far managed to prevent them from reaching Pharaoh's ears.

"Tell them nothing; for now." He said carefully.

A horse neighed. Turning they could both make the silulet of a horse and chariot. Ardeth grabbed Baset's arms.

"Say nothing. Meet tomorrow by the fountain in the Hall of Two Truths. I will speak to the elders."

Baset rode back up to the hill. Nefer and Rapses were waiting.

"Who was that man you were talking to?" Nefer asked.

Baset turned around.  
"what man?" she asked.

The desert was as empty and bare as it always was.

Nefer shivered, though she didn't know why.

"Desert can play tricks on you." She observed as she turned the chariot. Baset turned her Nile green eyes on to Nefer.

"Not just the desert" she said.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5 Questions

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The Mummy by Barbara Steiner._

Chapter 5 Questions.

"No one may enter!" Amerok gazed up at the giant who stood outside the prince's room.

"I hold a warrant from Pharaoh."

"No one May enter." The giant repeated moving closer. Amerok fought his memory for this giant's name. Armon that was it. He had been captain of the …the Falcons of Horus, that was it. He had lost an arm in the red lands, where Ahmose had fallen. Two days later and his son, Ineni had died of a fever, though some cried murder. Armon's courage in that battle had not been forgotten, the golden arm in place of the lost limb made that clear.

Old soldiers usually responded best to direct orders.

"I am authorized by the Divine one to enter the prince's quarters and question the guardians Ja'Kal and Rath."

"Then you're in for a long wait." A woman had emerged form behind the giant. She was dressed in Egyptian Linen, but there was no chance of any one mistaking her for a cattle of Ra. Pale skinned and with eyes that reminded her of a cat's she stood, seeming tiny beside this huge monster, yet she was nearly as tall as Amerok.

"After the events of the last nights I gave them a sleeping potion. They have not yet awakened."

"Then I must speak to you if you are Baset."

The woman bowed her head and moved out from behind the giant. She moved along the corridor and opened a door. She led the way into a small bedroom with two doors. One was the one they had entered by; another led out into a beautiful bedroom. Baset closed this door and turned to face him.

"I apologize my Lord, but we have orders to keep the way of his uncle death from the prince. He is too young to understand."

"Are any of us old enough to understand?" Amerok asked.

She smiled.

"This must be distressing for you." Amerok continued.

Baset shrugged. "Death is common in the desert. It comes as the end as you Egyptians say." She spoke Egyptian perfectly, too perfectly again suggesting her exoticness.

"Rich or poor, woman or man it is the one certainty in life," she sat down upon a carved wooden bed and indicated a chair for her guest.

"What time did you retire?" Amerok asked, sitting down.

"We left the feast three hours after sunset."

"Were you all together all evening?"

Baset shook her head. "Only one is required to remain awake. Armon had lost. Ja'Kal returned to his wife few minutes after we arrived, Nefer and Rath went to their own rooms. I laid Rapses down. Then I sat up and read for a while."

"What was the first you knew of the trouble."

"When the falcon died."  
The questioning continued, until a knock on the door disturbed them.

Amerok's manservant, Shufoy stood in the doorway. At the sight of him Baset paled. Amerok was not surprised at this. Shufoy had lost an eye years ago and had lived among the Rhinoceri, the disfigured criminals who haunted the edge of Thebes. Despite being use to this reaction, Shufoy appeared to be staring with equal fascination at Baset. As he left Baset rose.

"I have told you all that happen last night. I see nothing more I can say to help you."

Amerok knew he would get no more from her.

The door to Ja'Kal quarters were opened by a dark haired woman, similar to Amerok own wife Nofret. Her face creased with concern, but she bowed and stood aside at the sight of Pharaoh Seal.

"He has just awoken my lord."

Ja'Kal sat upon the bed, dressed but with out his headdress, which Amerok knew lay in the prince's quarters.

"Uncle… my lord" he said slowly.

His story when he was asked to tell it followed Baset's until they had left the apartments.

"Did you see any one in the corridors?" Amerok asked

There was spilt heartbeat before Ja'Kal replied "only the guards." It was obvious he was lying.

_Who did you see that you do not wish me to know of _Amerok mused, but from experience knew there was nothing to be gained from tackling Ja'Kal. While he was a poor liar he was a stubborn one.

"This was found in the prince's hand" he said, holding up a gold amulet in the shape of a hippopotamus. Ja'Kal gazed dumbfounded at the amulet, while his other hand fiddled with the clasp of the gold collar which surrounded his neck. As the collar gave way Amerok could see an amulet around Ja'Kal neck, in the shape of a falcon. The two pieces were clearly the work of the same craftsman.

"They are given to all guardians of the princes," he said. He leant in closer examining the amulet.

"Baset has been with the prince longer than any one. If anyone will know who owned it, it will be her."

"She didn't" Amerok muttered "appear eager to help."

"She was nervous. A stranger in a foreign land questioned by their highest judge." Ja'Kal was evidently pleased to leave the subject of his own role in the affair alone. "Come with me. She will help us."

"It is a guardian amulet" Baset said, allowing the pendant to swing, catching the light. "Made for Nefra's guardians, although who I am not sure."

"Why does that trouble you?" Amerok asked, for Baset brow was furrowed.

"These amulets represent a scared trust, one which goes beyond Pharaoh's childhood. They are badges of honor and are buried with us."

"So..." Amerok asked, cautiously.

"So all the guardians of Nefra are dead."  
TBC


	6. Chapter 6 Secrets and Lies

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The _Mummy by Barbara Steiner.

Author's note. Sorry for not updating sooner. I had this story partly finished in a notebook, which I lost and only recently found. I will try and update more frequently, but if I forget send me a message. Now please read and write loads of reviews!!

_Chapter 6_

"_What have you leant?" Nofret asked. "You came in so late last night that I had no chance to ask you."_

"_They are lying." Amerok replied, calmly reclining._

"_Surely not Ja'Kal."_

_Amerok nodded sorrowfully. "I asked him if he met anyone and he said no. he is not," he added, thoughtfully sipping pomegranate wine, "a particularly good liar. Not like the woman." _

_Nofret's face creased and he hastened to explain._

"_The Prince's old nurse, sister to the Pharaoh's wife. If she did not lie to me, then she did not tell me the whole truth."_

_He explained about the amulets._

"_It may be that she is nervous." Nofret said gently, but Amerok shook his head._

"_No there was more to it than that. She is a true child of the desert that one. It would take more nerves to upset that one."_

_Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm_

"_He knows I am lying." Baset said. The fountain trickled and splashed near them as she and Ardeth walked though the gardens of the hall of two truths. Ardeth's face creased and Baset hastened to clarify. _

"_No, not lied. But not told him all I knew."_

_Ardeth shrugged. _

"_Med-Jai cannot always be completely truthful. Our first duty is-"_

"_To the order. And the young prince." Baset said. "Speaking of which, what is to be done?"_

_They had reached the pilgrims' way, where the clatter made it almost impossible to be heard._

_The temple of Ma'at was a favorite shrine for those from Thebes and elsewhere. The tongues and dialects that filled the air rivaled those of the ports._

_High class ladies with their husbands paraded like peacocks in their ornamental wigs, embroider pleated linen skirts and gold fasten sandals. The artisans and the farmers wandered like geese, their clothes rich with the scents of cooking oils and rich earth. Both Med-jai had to doge more than once a fan or a parasol wafted against the heat._

_Ardeth spoke softly and carefully. _

"_Say nothing. The elders have spoken. The lord Amerok is to be invited to the Meeting of the Councils."_

"_And what," Baset demanded, side stepping and dropping her head to avoid a lady of the court, "am I meant to do till then?"_

"_The council meets tomorrow night." Ardeth said, with a slight laugh in his voice. "Surely you can avoid the lord Amerok till then?"_

"_Not without becoming number one on his suspect list." Baset muttered. Ardeth changed the subject._

"_The amulet that was found." He began._

_Baset nodded, well aware that there were other Med-jai close to pharaoh, who have would have told them._

"_Do you know who it belongs to? Or how it came to be there?"_

_Baset sighed, "I think I know who took it." She said slowly. "But I am not sure. Can you find out if Tutmosis and Pathret are definitely dead? Sethos and Sobek, there is not much doubt, I saw the bodies myself. But in the heat of battle…" she trailed off._

_Ardeth nodded._

"_I will find out." He promised. _

"_Also find out who had the hippo amulet. Check the tombs. Make sure they have not been disturbed." _

_Ardeth nodded._

"_I have to go." Baset said, glancing up at the sun. "I will see you tomorrow night?"  
Ardeth nodded. "Just Kathos," he said, using her Med-jai name. "Be careful. Nefra was a young strong man. Now all that stands between the throne and those who would take it are Amenhotep and a child._

"_I know." Baset said, turning to vanish like a shadow, "that's why I'm afraid."_

_Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm_

_Amerok sat gazing down at the list of guardians of Nefra. As Baset had stated all were dead._

_Tutmosis and Pathret had been killed nearly 5 years ago defending Egypt. The marks in the margins informed him that their bodies had been found._

_Sobek was dead, 2 years now. Amerok remembered the case and the suspicions surrounding it. But nothing had been proved, and it was not unknown for the best charioteer to lose control._

_Sethos had been dead less than a year. He appeared to have contacted an Ague and died. Nothing suspicious, except that he had born and raised by the delta marshes, so should have had some resistance._

_He gazed at the list. All perfectly explainable deaths, and yet all slightly odd. For a moment he toyed with the idea that they all had been killed by an unknown person, but could see no advantage to any claimants. _

_He sighed and pushed the papyrus away. From the garden came the cries of children at play. Nofret was in the garden with his surviving sons, Asural and Prenhoe. He longed to join them. There was a small knock on his door and _

_Shufoy shuffled in. _

"_Master," he began uncertainly. "About the woman you were speaking to earlier…There's something I need to tell you."_


	7. Chapter 7 Hiding

Disclaimer: Dic© owns everything, with the exception of Baset who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. The Character of Ardeth and the tattoo on Baset's arm will be familiar to fan's of _The Mummy._ They are copyright of Universal. The idea for this story and the character of Urbena came from the _Point Horror Book, The Mummy by Barbara Steiner._

_Chapter 7_

Amerok paced the room. Ja-kal stood in the doorway, his face a mask of contrition.

"She must have miss understood your letter." He repeated for the Hundredth time. Amerok restrained himself from asking then why had the messengers dispatched to the Hall of Two Truths found nothing.

Instead he concentrated his mind on Shufoy revelations.

The idea that Baset was Med-jai was bother believable and worrying. Amerok would admit that he knew very little on the subject, but what he did know was not comforting.

According to the ancient ones the order had come to Egypt, having been driven out of their own lands. They had at one point been loyal servants of Pharaoh, but during the reign of Pharaoh's grandfather, the order had been outlawed. It was still death to shelter a Med-Jai, though none had been tried for it within living memory.

Shufoy however was certain of his facts.

"I used to see them often. She, her father and another Med-Jai who I think was her brother used to come to the village. They would ride in from the desert, and you could tell from the way the leaders of the gangs behaved that they were important. The father would go into speak with the leaders and the girl and the boy would wait him. They'd sit on their horses in the hot sun, sometimes for hours. The only time I saw them move was to guide their beasts to water. They 

themselves never took anything from us."  
He smiled slightly. "The girl was beautiful, in an exotic way, but as distant as the moon." His face creased as he remembered. "Once or twice another girl came with them, a few years younger than them. She looked more Egyptian, but I wouldn't swear to that. I offered her a drink of water once, and she was about to drink, when the other girl noticed and screamed something in their own tongue. The lad yanked his horse between us and nearly sent me flying." He shook his head. "I never saw a man look more enraged than his father. That was the last time I saw the Egyptian girl, though the others were still coming when I left."  
"And you are sure the other girl was Baset?" he asked.

Shufoy nodded. "I spoke with those who trade with the village. The father and the son still come, but no one has seen the girl for a while. The Crocodile man said she was serving the order elsewhere"  
despite the warmth of the room, Amerok shivered, wondering exactly how she was serving the order.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Baset heard the steady thump, thump and the jingle of armor which marked the approach of the temple guards. Covering her head with her cloak, she ducked into the court.

The case in question appeared to be a case of a row between two neighbors. One claimed how while she had been swimming in the river, her opponent had pushed a wax crocodile in among her clothing, in an attempt to summon the deadly beast of the river to attack her neighbor. Her opponent, a furious, huge, fat-belied fish wife, was declaring loudly that she didn't know how to fashion such an image, may the goddess of truth be her witness! And that it would take a legion of crocodiles to vanquish a woman as evil as her neighbor!



Baset fought the desire to laugh as the patrol passed. Instead, she settled down among the crowd and waited for the evening.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

"The lord Amerok was looking for you!" Ja-Kal said, standing in the doorway.

"And I was looking for him!" Baset snapped. "I searched the whole complex and found nothing."

Ja-kal opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it. She had spent a long, hot, fruitless day.

"I will speak to him tomorrow." Baset promised. She gazed out of the window, where the full moon could be seen, rising.


End file.
